Combined bending brake and press with retractable ram brackets



` INVENTOR. i wrnyQ/-l M l s sheets-sheet 1 l /fI'ATToEA/EKS.

May 11; 1954 A. YURKA, JR

COMBINED BENDING BRAKE ANDPRESS WITH RETRACTABLE RAM BRACKETS Filed may 24, 195o gip:

May 11, 1954 A, YURKA, JR 2,678,078

COMBINED BENDING BRAKE AND PRESS WITH RETRACTABLE RAM BRACKETS Filed May 24, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 11, 1954 A. YURKA, JR 2,678,078

COMBINED BENDING BRAKE AND PRESS' WITH RETRACTABLE RAM BRACKETS Filed May 24, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. I BY Wuriqfwf MFM Patented May 11, 1954 COIWBINED BENDING BRAKE AND PRESS WITH RETRACTABLE RAM BRACKETS August Yurka, Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, assigner to The Cyril Bath Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application May 24, 1950, Serial No. 163,999

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined bending brake and press with retractable ram brackets which are movably supported on the ram and arranged to be moved readily into operative position so as to make possible the use of the apparatus as a press and to be moved readily to an inoperative position so as to make possible the use of the apparatus as a bending brake without interference of the brackets in any manner with bending operations to be performed thereby.

In general, bending brakes are provided with elongated rams `which are relatively narrow so as not to interfere with the formation of sharp upward bends in loing sheets or plates of stock. On the other hand, presses for punching, blanking, and other types of forming are provided which likewise use an elongated ram but in which the operating or underface of the ram is relatively wide so as to accommodate and apply the pressure evenly over the relatively wide holder for punches, dies, and the like which often are distributed over a wide area forwardly and rearwardly of the press. This type of press is not satisfactory for use as a bending brake due to the wide undersurface of the ram which would interfere with the formation of sharp bends in the material.

Generally in the trade the manufacturer of metal products has need of both a press and a bending brake, often at diiierent times. Though each is critical when needed, both citen are idle for considerable periods. Accordingly, detachable ram brackets are provided for bending brakes so that the under face of the ram and the `working face of th-e bed of the brake can be widened forwardly and rearwardly of the brake when desired so that the brake can serve as a brake or press, selectively, merely by removing and attaching the ram and bed brackets.

Necessarily, for use in a press, the brackets for providing the wider undersurface of the ram and working face of the bed musi; be relatively heavy and generally, on the bending brakes of the sizes widely used for production, they are too heavy to be moved readily by hand unless counterbalanced. Counterbalancing, however, is irnpractical due to interference with the operations of the various parts oi the brake and the handling of the stock.

In the prior structures, the practice is to bolt brackets to opposite upright faces of the ram,

using a number of workmen and usually cranes or other lifting equipment to move the brackets into place for bolting, and reversing this manner of installation for removing them from the ram. Since such brackets often weight one or two tons, a great amount of work is entailed in removing and replacing the brackets. On the average, even with a number of workmen and lifting devices, it requires about two hours of time to remove or replace the brackets. Generally, the bed brackets are left in place as they seldom interfere with brake operations.

In accordance with the present invention a bending brake and press combination employing an elongated relatively narrow ram with retractable ram brackets is provided so that the same apparatus can be used both as a bending brake and as a press, the retractable brackets on the ram being movably mounted thereon for movement into and out of operating positions and being arranged to be moved readily into and out of said positions by the power customarily applied to the ram.

More specifically the apparatus comprises a bending brake with a relatively narrow elongated ram and ram brackets pivotaily connected to the ram at its front and rear faces, respectively, so as to swing downwardly into operative position to provide a wide undersurface on the ram, and detachable connections between the brackets and the frame of the bending brake so arranged that when certain simple connections between the brackets and the frame are made and the ram is lowered, the brackets are swung upwardly into an inoperative position, whereby the apparatus can be used as a bending' brake without interference with the stock, means being provided to secure the brackets in either the operative or inoperative position, selectively.

In the present invention this is accomplished by one man without the aid of extraneous lifting devices or special tools, in about ten minutes, thus providing an apparatus which, because of the rapidity with which the change-over can be made, is a combined bending brake and press.

Objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a iront elevation of the combined bending brake and press with retractable ram brackets, part thereof being shown in section for clearness in illustration;

Fig. 2 is a right end elevation of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, part thereof being shown in section for clearness in illustration;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation of a portion of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1 showing particularly the ram operating mechanism, retractable brackets, and the means for moving the brackets to operative and inoperative positions, selectively.

Fig. i is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the ram, brackets, and bracket operating mechanism, with the brackets inoperating' position, and is taken on line Iii-4 of Fig. 3, the bed of the press being shown inoperative relation to the ram; and,

Fig. is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comin which removable brackets are provided, the bed brackets for widening the bed of the brake are seldom removed. Accordingly, in conformance with the prior practices, bed brackets 29 are secured to the bed by suitable bolts 2l, the usual keyways and shoulders being provided if the brackets are to withstand severe stresses. They are mounted on the bed so that their upper surfaces are coplanar with the upper surface of the bed 2, as best illustrated in Figs. Li and 5. The ram 3 is provided at its lower edge with a suitable removable clamping plate 22 for securing the desired tool or tool holder thereto.

,- Referring next to the retractable rain brackets,

and the manner in which they are combined with V 'the ram and operated, with which the present invention is concerned, two such brackets 23 are shown, one at the forward face of the ram and one at the rear face. Since the brackets are the same in form, function and operation, one only will be referred to in detail. Referring w to the front bracket for purposes of illustration,

prises generally a heavy upright frame I having aV from the bed 2 for cooperation therewith, both the ram and the bed being adapted to receive and support the cooperating forming tools, tool carriers, or platens required for the particular job.

Power means are provided for operating the ram. In the form illustrated, the power means comprise an electric motor 5 mounted on the frame I and drivingly connected to one side of a clutch the opposite side of which is connected to a suitable gear 7. The gear 1, in turn, is nxedly mounted on a jack-shaft extending along the read of the frame I, this shaft carrying gears 8 near its ends which are rotatable with the shaft and drivingly connected to main' driving gears 9 at the ends of the frame. Each of the gears ii is xedly secured to an eccentric shaft, or crank it, which is mounted for rotation in the frame i. The cranks are drivingly connected to the ram 3 by means of pitrnans II, respectively. Each pitman II is preferably extensible and contractable for adjusting the height of the ram.

In the form illustrated, the extensibility of each pitman is obtained by mea-ns of a threaded rod i2 which is in threaded engagement with gear E3 of the pitnian Ii, the gear i3 being arranged so that upon rotation of the gear I3 about its axis the rod I2 is extended or retracted relative to the 'ma-in body of the pitnian II. Since there is a pitman ii near each end of the rain, concurrent adjustment of the same forV adjusting the height of the ram` is provided. Such may be obtained by means of worm gearsV Id which are in engagement with the gears I3 and are connected to a common shaft I5. The shaft I5 is rotatably driven through a suitable gear train I6 by a motor I'l. Thus the height of the ramcan be adjusted. The rod I2 is connected to the rain 3 by suitable means such as a ball joint I8. A foot treadle i9 is provided at the front of the bed 2 and is connected by suitable linkage, as illustrated in Fig. 2, to the clutch 6 for controlling the operation of the rain.

The structure thus far described is a type of bending brake available on the market and the specific details thereof above described form no part of the present invention.

As is quite customary in brakes of thisY type thefront bracket comprises an upright plate or member 24 adapted when in operating position to Ylie in face to face juxtaposition with theupright forward face of the ram and a bottom plate 25 extending at right angles thereto and arranged so that,.when the bracket is in operating position, the plate 25 i coplanar with the underface of the ram. Suitable reinforcing means such as gussets 25 are provided for affording the necessary rigidity toy the bracket. The bracket 23 is mounted on the ram 3 for movement relative thereto into and out of operating positions.

In the 'forni illustrated, this is accomplished by means of suitable mounting brackets 27 which are iixedly secured to the ram, preferably one at each end of the bracket 23, and intermediate mounting brackets 2,8 arranged near the longitudinal midportion of the ram spaced apart from each other at opposite sides of the longitudinai midport-ion of the ram. The end mounting brackets 21 are connected by pivots 29 to the gussets V26 in spaced relation to the bottom plate 25. The mounting brackets 2S are connected to cooperating mounting brackets 33 which are secured to the retractable bracket Z3 by a pivot 3 I, the pivots 29 and 3i being coaxial. The pivot Sli is keyed to the ram bracket 23 for rotation therewith about the pivotal axis. With this arrangement the retractable ram bracket 23 can be swung upwardly from` its operating position away from the lower edge of the ram 3 to an idle position in which it will not interfere with the operation of the apparatus as a bending brake. As illustrated particularly in Figs. l, 3 and 4, the ram brackets 23 are in operating position, having been swung downwardly about their pivotal connections until the plates 2d are juxtaposed against the front and read faces of the ram, respectively. In this position they are secured in firm face to face relation to the ram 3 by means of bolts 32. For relieving the bolts 32 from the stresses to which the brackets 23 are subjected during operation, suitable keys 33 are provided and are positioned to engage shoulders at the upper edges of the plates 2d and a cooperating keyway in the ram when the brackets 23 are. in operating position. v

Referring next to Figs. 3 through 5, a suitable means is shown for moving the brackets 23 upwardly, to the inoperative position shownin Fig. 5, by meansof the power supplied for the ram. Mounted on the pivot t I is a suitable drum which, in the form illustrated, is shown as a double v sprocket 34. |The sprocket 34 is secured to the brackets 30 and pivot 3! by means of a key 35 so that, upon rotation of the sprocket 34, the brackets 3d and thereby the retractable ram bracket 23 secured thereto are swung about the pivotal axis.

In order to rotate the sprockets 34 from the power supply for the ram, suitable chains 35 are provided. Each of the chains is secured at one end to the sprocket 34 and extends from the connected end outwardly and partially around the sprocket and thence upwardly.

Mounted on the frame I of the apparatus is. a suitable anchor 3'! adapted to receive 'the other ends of the chains 35 and to be connected thereto readily. In the form illustrated, the anchor 31 is provided at its lower edge with eyes 38 between which the upper ends of the chains are received and to which they are secured by means of a pin 39 which passes through the eyes and the link openings in the upper end links of the chains.

A guide roller it is mounted on the face of the rams and engages the chains outwardly therefrom so to maintain the chains close to the face of the ram so as not to interfere with the bracket 23 when it is swung to its uppermost, or inoperative, position.

Each of the chains 36 is of such length that when the ram 3 is raised to its uppermost position with the rarn bracket 23 in operating position on the rain, they can be connected at their upper ends to the anchor 3l' without appreciable slack.

In order to swing the bracket 23 from the lowered, or operating position, upwardly, to the raised, or inoperative position, the bolts 32 are removed so as to release the ram bracket 23 for movement. The ram 3 is then fully raised and while so raised the chains 35 are connected to the anchor 3i, by the pin 39. Thereupon the ram 3 is lowered and, due to the resultant force on the chains 3d and its movement relative to the ram, the sprockets 343 are caused to rotate in directions to swing the brackets 23 outwardly and upwardly from the operating position illustrated in Fig. 4 to the inoperative position illustrated in Fig. 5. A suitable slot tl is provided in the bottom plate 25 for affording relative passage of the bottom plate 25 and the chains 3,5 so that the bracket can be swung upwardly the maximum distance where the edge of the plate 25 is substantially in contact with the forward face of the ram 3.

Mounted on the ends of the ram brackets 23 are suitable ears t2, each of which is provided with apertures [33 for receiving tie-bolts therethrough. The ram is provided with threaded apertures t4 so positioned that when the ram brackets 23 are swung upwardly to inoperative position, the apertures 24 are aligned with the apertures M. Suitable bolts 45, as best illustrated in Fig. 5, are then passed through the apertures of the ears i2 and engage with the apertures M for securing the brackets 23 in idle position. The chains 36 are then detached from the anchor 3'! and the apparatus is ready for use as a bending brake.

When it is desired to replace the ram brackets 23 in operating position, nrst the chains 3S thereof are connected to the anchor 31 with the ram in lowered position so that there is no slack in the chains. The bolts i5 are then removed, and the ram raised by the usual power means, whereby the ram brackets 23 swing by gravity about their pivotal axis into the position illustrated in Fig. 4. In this position they are clamped by the bolts 32 after which the chains 3e are disconnected from the anchor 3'?. Either operation requires about ten minutes. Various modications may be made in the structure as described for purposes of illustration without departing from the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a bending brake and press combination including an upright frame and a power driven rani reciprocable therein along a vertical path, a rain bracket having a working underface which, in an operative position of the bracket is positioned adjacent the lower edge of the ram and in an inoperative position of the bracket is disposed at a level above said operating position, pivot means pivotally securing the ram bracket to the ram for swinging movement about a horizontal axis in opposite directions into operative and inoperative positions, respectively, and for movement with the ram, in each of said positions, said bracket being adapted to be secured in said operative and inoperative positions on the ram, selectively, and to be released for swinging movement to inoperative and operative positions, selectively, means operable to operatively connect the bracket and frame so as to swing the bracketto inoperative position upon movement of the rain in one direction along said path, said last named ineans including a drum coaxial with said pivot means and connected to the bracket for rotation therewith about said axis, a flexible tension member wound about the drum and arranged to rotate the drum when the member is moved endwise under tension and thereby swing the bracket upwardly to said inoperative position, 'cooperative connecting means on the trarne and flexible tension member operable to cause said endwise movement under tension of the flexible tension member by predetermined movement or" the rain while the cooperative connecting means are connected, and means for detachably connecting and disconnecting the cooperative connecting means, selectively.

2. The bending brake and press combination according tc claim l characterized in that said drurn is a sprocket, said flexible tension member is a chain engaging the sprocket, and said connecting means is positioned on the frame above the level of the sprocket.

In a bending brake and press combination including an upright frame rnc-rnber and a power di ram member reciprocable therein along a vertical path, a ram bracket having a working underiace which in an operative position. oi the bracket is positioned adjacent the lower edge of the member in an inoperative position of the bracket is disposed at a level above said operating position, pivot means pivotally securing the rain bracket to the rain member for 'ng movement relative thereto about a horin l axis in opposite directions into said operative and said inoperative positions, respectively. and for moveto ,nt with the rain member, in each of said positions, said bracket being adapted to be secured in said operative and inop Lative positions on the member, selectively, and to be released. for swinging movement to said i `operative operative positions, ctively, inea-ns operatively connect the bracket and frame member so as to swing the bracket upwardly to inoperative position upon movement of the rain member downwardly along said path, said connecting means including a Y 7 8 tension element connected at' one end to the connecting one end of the tension element to,rand bracket so as to swing the bracket relative to disconnecting it from, its associated one Yof the the ram member to said inoperative position members, selectively. when the tension element is moved endwise under tension, and connected at the othei` end in xed 5 References Cted m the fue of uns patent position ielative to the frame member at a. level UNITED STATES PATENTS about the connection of the vrst end of the ten- Number Name Date sion element to the bracket so as to cause said 324 812 Clapp Aug 25 1885 movement of the tension element endwise under 402668 Hart May 7: 1889 tension by said. downward movement of the ram 10 1235n021 i Leland Aug 7J 1917 member, and means for detacliably, operatively 1,997,672 Bath Apr 16, 1935 

